Vegan Festive Menu

Vegan Festive Lunch Menu:

Serves 6

STARTER:
Butternut Squash Soup

MAIN COURSE:
Tasty Falafal
Stuffed Peppers
Tofu Spinach Cannelloni
Quinoa salad

DESSERT:
Tofu Chocolate pudding
Raw vegan "Cheesecake"

Butternut Squash Soup:

Ingredients:
1 medium Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Sea salt
Ground black pepper or lemon pepper
Dried or fresh Italian herbs (I use fresh basil, oregano, parsley and spring onions)
Parsley for garnish.

Boil butternut squash and drain water into a separate cup or bowl. When soft remove from heat and place in a blender or vitamix.
Stir fry onions and garlic in olive oil
Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning
Add this to the butternut squash in the blender, blend until creamy and slowly add little bits of the saved water until the preferred consistency is reached, then reheat on stove top just before serving.

Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

Guaranteed to be a hit with your guests!

Tasty Falafal:

Ingredients:
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans) (blended smooth  in blender or vitamix)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
1 finely chopped zucchini
1/2 finely chopped eggplant
salt
ground black pepper
1/2 cup Fresh herbs ~ basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, spring onions, all finely chopped
(Optional extra for a spicy kick ~ 1 red hot chili pepper)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Stir fry all the veggie ingredients and add to blended garbanzo beans.
To make into balls add:
 2 Tbsp Egg Replacer (mixed with enough water separately to resemble beaten egg whites)
2 Tbsp organic Spelt flour (or any flour of your choice)

Dip the golf size balls of mixture into additional flour, just enough to coat them and deep fry in oil of your choice. Apparently canola oil or coconut oil is the best option for deep frying.
Place on a paper towel afterwards to drain oil residue off the falafal balls and serve.

Stuffed Peppers:

1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell pepper
1 pack of Ground Veggie Mince or 1 cup dried TVP (reconstituted with 1 cup water)
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 eggplant finely chopped
1 large carrot finely chopped
1 large tomato finely chopped
1 cup mushrooms finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh herbs finely chopped ( garlic chives, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and whatever else tickles your fancy)
Sea salt, Black pepper
1 tbsp Braggs amino acids ( or soy sauce)
2 tbsp olive oil

Cut the peppers in halves and scoop out the seeds, place on a baking tray
Stir fry the other ingredients and then scoop the mixture into the peppers
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes to soften the peppers slightly
Serve with garnish of your choice
Optional extra : add a dab of Veganaise on the top of the stuffed peer as a tasty garnish.

These are absolutely satisfying and scrumptious!

Tofu Spinach Cannelloni:

Ingredients

• 12 cannelloni/manicotti noodles, cooked el dente
• 1 16 oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1o oz. package of frozen spinach, thawed and chopped – or 1 bag of fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 16 oz. firm or silken tofu
• ½ cup soaked cashews, drained and finely ground (optional)
• ¼ cup shredded carrots (optional)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp.sea salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Shredded vegan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1.  Saute the onions in the oil until translucent. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat.
2. In a bowl, mix the tofu, cashews (if using), carrots, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.
3. Add the spinach-onion mixture to the tofu mixture and stir until well-mixed.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Pour a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ pan.
5. Fill each cooked shell with filling using a small spoon. Line the filled shells up in the pan and cover with the rest of the pasta sauce.
6. Cover the pan with foil to keep the shells from drying out.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes,or until bubbling.
8. If adding vegan cheese, sprinkle it on top for the final 2 minutes in the oven.

Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (precooked)
1 tomato chopped
1 cucumber chopped
6 dark green or red lettuce leaves rolled and chopped
6 calamata olives chopped
1/2 cup of sprouts
1/2 cup fresh herbs of your choice chopped (I always use a combination of rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley and chives)

Add ingredients together in a bowl, toss and serve with optional balsamic vinegar or Goddess Dressing.

Tofu Chocolate Pudding:

Ingredients:
2 tubs of Silken Tofu (firm) in the vacuum sealed packs
2 bars of Dark Chocolate
2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
1cup of 100% choice grade Maple Syrup

Blend together in a blender or vitamix and place in refrigerator to thicken.

This is healthy death by chocolate....UNBELIEVABLY good!

Raw Vegan "Cheesecake":

Crust ingredients:

1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts (or a combination of walnuts and macadamia nuts)
1/2 cup dates
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1 pinch sea salt

White cheesecake filling ingredients:

3 cups cashews
1 large lemon juiced
3/4 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
Up to a 1/4 cup of water, if necessary to facilitate blending

Fruit topping ingredients:

2 cups frozen strawberries

Preparation:

1. Add the macadamia nuts, salt and dates into your blender/vitamix until creamy.
2. Next, get our your cheesecake pan and sprinkle the coconut on the bottom as your very first layer. Press the macadamia nuts and date mixture down into the pan to form the crust.
3. Place filling ingredients into your vitamix/ blender and blend! Add as little water as necessary to facilitate blending. (Try to add as little water as possible.) Pour mixture on top of crust.
4. Place the above in freezer for an hour to set.
5.Place strawberries in blender separately. Blend until smooth and pour this mixture on top of the crust/cream cheese, which was just in the freezer for about an hour. Replace the raw cheesecake recipe back in freezer. Freeze until the "cheesecake" reaches the desired consistency (approx 5 hours)
6. Defrost this raw cheesecake recipe for about a half-hour before eating

Vegan protein sources

How much protein do you need per day?

This is a commonly asked question and there is a simple answer. A normal healthy human needs 1gm protein per 1kg of body weight. This is easily obtainable on a vegan diet, especially if you are making high quality nutritious food choices. To figure out how many kilograms you weigh if you are used to measuring in pounds, just divide your pounds by 2.2. I hope you have immense fun discovering all the wonderful protein sources the earth has to offer. Avoid dry and oil roasted nuts and seeds and those with added salt and sugar, the raw variety are delicious!

Legumes and Grains

Lentils 1 cup Protein 17g
Chick Pea ( Garbanzo Bean ) 1 cup Protein 16g
Black bean 1 cup Protein 15g
Kidney bean 1 cup 15g
Soybean 1 cup Protein 30g
Soy milk 1 cup Protein 7g
Tofu 1/2 cup Protein 20g
TVP 1/2 cup Protein 16g
Brown rice 1 cup Protein 5g
Couscous 1 cup Protein 6g
Oats cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Quinoa cooked 1 cup Protein 5 g
Pasta, wheat cooked 1 cup Protein 8 g
White rice cooked 1 cup Protein 3 g
Whole wheat bread 1 slice Protein 4g
Wild rice cooked 1 cup Protein 4g

Nuts and Seeds (raw)

Almonds 1/2 oz Protein 3g
Cashews 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 2.5g
Peanut butter 1 Tbsp Protein 4g
Pecan 1oz (28gm/1/4 cup) Protein 3g
Macadamia 1/4 cup Protein 2g
Walnut 1oz (28g/1/4cup) Protein 5g
Pine nuts 3 Tbsp Protein 4gm
Flax seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 1.5g
Hemp seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2.5g
Chia seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 3g
Pumpkin seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Sesame seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2 g
Sunflower seeds 1 Tbsp Protein 2g
Tahini (sesame seed paste) 1 Tbsp Protein

Vegetables with a high protein content

(Cooked unless otherwise noted)

Asparagus 1/2 cup 10g

Beet greens 1/2 cup 20g

Broccoli 1/2 cup 25 1/2 cup 17g

Corn on the cob 1 ear 48g

Edamame 1/2 cup 65g

Green peas 1/2 cup 61g

Hubbard squash 1/2 cup 51g

Kale 1/2 cup 18g

Mung Bean Sprouts 1/2 cup 11.5

Mushroom Portabella (grilled) 1/2 cup 21g

Spinach 1/2 cup 21gSpirolina 1Tbsp 20g

Sugar snap peas 1/2 cup 33.5g

Chard

Enticing Entrees

Chickpea Tofu Curry

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1-1.5 Tbsp Mixed Indian curry, mild, medium or strong according to you palate (I used medium Durban Indian curry masala)
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cubed firm tofu
1/4 cup water
salt, pinch
ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped basil, parsley and oregano for garnish and sliced cherry tomatoes
fresh organic spinach leaves

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the curry powder, mixing it in well.
Add onion and garlic, stir frying continually as you add each ingredient
Add sun dried tomatoes
Add Chick Peas
Add broccoli and yellow pepper
add 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper
Add tofu cubes and simmer

Serve on a fresh bed of spinach leaves with mango chutney as a sambal and basmati rice.
Garnish with herbs and tomatoes

serves four

Seared Eggplant Tofu Sandwich

Rosemary garlic bread
Red leaf lettuce
Veganaise (I used the grape seed variety)
Eggplant
Onions
Roma tomatoes
Avocado
Red Pepper
Extra firm tofu cut into thin strips
Fresh parsley, basil and oregano
Balsamic vinegar

Lightly sear the onion, eggplant, red pepper and tomatoes in a frying pan with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I cook each item separately and layer them on the bread as they are cooked.
Cut bread into thin slices and spread the veganaise on each side.
Place the lettuce next as a foundation and layer the ingredients: eggplant, tomato, avocado, red pepper, tofu and herbs
This is a killer sandwich and extremely satisfying! Enjoy :)

Vegan Babotie

Babotie is a traditional South African dish with Malaysian influences. It is an extremely flavorful curry dish usually using ground meat, which I have substituted with TVP (textured vegetable protein or Boca ground bits, which is a pre-made soy protein option) This dish is high in protein and high in taste!

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions
180g veggie mince
1 clove garlic
1 slice bread (I use Ezekial sprouted grain bread)
1 cup soy milk (or any other milk substitute)
1 tbsp medium hot curry
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbs raw sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp mango chutney (medium or hot, depending on your taste)
1 tsp apricot jam
1/2 cup raisins
1 bay leaf
splash of Braggs amino acids or soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp egg replacer
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp oregano
1 vacuum tub of silken tofu for topping
shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C)
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat, cook onions and garlic and add curry powder, then add veggie mince and bay leaf.
Place the milk in a shallow dish and soak the bread. Squeeze excess milk from bread and set milk aside. add the bread to the veggie mince mixture
Stir in the raisins, apricot jam, chutney, salt ,pepper, other curry powder ingredients.
Pour mixture into a prepared baking dish and remove bay leaf
Bake in oven for 30 minutes
While babotie bakes, whisk together the tub of silken tofu and 2 tbsp egg replacer and add a teaspoon of medium curry powder, salt and pepper and remainder of milk.
Pour over dish and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Garnish with shredded coconut and serve with rice, couscous or quinoa.
Guaranteed to be a hit at dinner parties!
Serves 4-8

Vegan Kebabs

Astoundingly yummy and incredibly quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

"Blissful Bits" (made by Eco Vegan) or another vegan alternative

Mushrooms
Polenta sliced and halved or quartered
Red and orange peppers
Zucchini (baby marrow) sliced

Bake all of the above on a baking sheet or tray in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes, turn veggies over and bake for another 10 minutes, with a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper, and drizzle with a mixture of 1/4 cup olive oil infused with finely chopped fresh organic herbs such as oregano, basil, rosemary, parsley and garlic chives, and add a drizzle of Braggs aminos (or soy sauce).

Serve on a bed of Couscous

Side salad:
Lettuce, tomatoes, radish sprouts, calamata olives and avocado

Bon appetit!

 

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie:

1 package of ground vegetable protein or one cup of prepared TVP (textured vegetable protein
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
olive oil
1/2 tub of mushrooms
1 corn on the cob (slice kernels off it)
2 carrots, sliced in small circles
2 Roma tomatoes (or any type that is available)
3 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 bunch of spring onions, chopped
handful of basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley
salt, pepper and Braggs Amino sauce to taste (small amount of soy sauce can be substituted)
3 sweet potatoes (boiled and mashed with soy milk and sea salt)
Italian parsley garnish

Stir fry all the above ingredients except the sweet potatoes, starting with sauteing the onions and garlic in a small amount of olive oil, then adding the fresh herbs followed by the mushrooms, corn, carrots, tomatoes and very last the corn and spring onions with a dash of Braggs Aminos for flavor.

 

Place the stir fry in a Pyrex dish and add the mashed sweet potato topping. Place in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes to heat if desired and garnish with parsley.

 

Guaranteed to satisfy anyone fortunate enough to be served this tasty dish!

 

 

 

Sweet Cakes and Delectable Treats

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake

Oh so yummy but has more of a sticky brownie consistency

2 cups raw walnuts
1/2 cup pitted dates
3/4 cup raw cacao
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp coconut oil
berries for garnish

In food processor chop walnuts for 20 seconds until they have a sandy consistency. Add dates, coconut oil, agave, vanilla and salt.Process until mixtures forms a ball. Firm into a cake and ice with cashew macadamia nut frosting.
Optional: you may dehydrate the cake for 30 minutes at 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes the texture slightly firmer.

Cashew Macadamia nut frosting:
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 cup agave
1 tsp water

Blend together and place in fridge to cool and thicken. Cover chocolate cake with this mind blowingly delicious frosting and decorate with fresh berries.

This "cake" is extremely rich and you will feel satisfied with just a very small wedge. Place in freezer.

Someone once said "Let them eat cake", I say " Eat nutritious cake"

Raw vegan Pecan Pie

Crust:
2 cups raw pecans
1/2 cup dates pitted and soaked
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 1/2 cups dates pitted and soaked
1/2 cup raw pecans
1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup water

Topping:
1 cup pecans

For Crust:
Blend pecans in food processor (or blender or vitamix) until fine. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Remove from food processor and pat into pie dish.

Filling:
 Place pecans in food processor and blend until smooth. Add other ingredients and blend until creamy. Pour filling into pie crust.

Topping:
Decoratively place pecans on top of pie and garnish with fresh organic berries.

This pie will knock your guests socks off! It is best if you place in freezer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour and then store in refrigerator.

Papaya Banana Pudding:

1 ripe papaya
1 banana
2 Tbsp agave (or raw honey which is not considered vegan)

Place in blender or vitamix and blend until smooth
Eat immediately or refrigerate to set and thicken.

The simplest, healthiest and tastiest pudding in the world!Garnish with a blackberry.

serves one-two

Insanely delicious Carob Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance which is made from palm, flax and olive oil)
1/2 cup sugar
2Tbsp Egg Replacer (reconstituted with water to form a stiff egg white consistency)
2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup carob chips

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
~blend flour, oats, salt and baking soda
~ In another bowl combine vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, egg replacer
~Add dry ingredients
~Add carob chips
~Drop teaspoons full onto a greased baking sheet
~Bake for 8-10 minutes (chewier if you bake for 8 minutes)
~decorate with more carob chips just when you remove the cookies from the oven and they're still hot
~Allow to cool

Makes about a dozen
Enjoy!

 Cherry Pie: (raw)

Ingredients:

CRUST:
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup dates, pitted and soaked

FILLING:
5 cups cherries (I used frozen and thawed)
2 bananas
3 Tablespoons raw honey

Directions:

FOR CRUST:
~ Grind the almonds until fine in a food processor/vitamix/blender
~ Add dates and blend until smooth
~ Pat mixture into a pie plate

FOR FILLING:
~Combine 4 cups of cherries, 2 bananas and 3 tablespoons of honey and blend until smooth.
~ Remove from vitamix/blender and add 1 cup whole cherries
~ Pour into crust
~ refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow it to solidify

Serve garnished with whole cherries and mint leaves.
Guaranteed to provide a taste bud frenzy of delight!

 

 

 

 

Just Juice : cell vibrating goodness

Go Green

Dis-ease occurs in your body as a result of an imbalance and thrives in many forms in an acidic PH. Green vegetables make your PH more alkaline and provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and phytonutrients which enhance your well being and make you feel more vibrant. So power up your life with green.

For this Green Power I used the following in my home juicer:
Spinach, celery, pear, green bell pepper,kiwi, apple, broccoli, cucumber, homegrown mint and chives.

Here's to your health! Salute!

Very Vibrant Variety

There have been volumes written about the benefits of juicing. Not many shop bought juices can compare in taste and nutritive value to freshly juiced fruits and vegetables done in your home. Whenever we drink these juices at my home my entire family ooh's and aah's at the amazing flavor they are experiencing and we always feels as though every cell in our bodies start to vibrate from the life enhancing nutrients they receive.

Juicing helps you to absorb the nutrients from the raw foods you are juicing more readily and it's an easy and delicious way for you to add a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Try to use pesticide free fruits and veggies and drink it straight away or store in the refrigerator in a clean glass bottle for a short period of time only.
For this vibrant variety juice I used the following in my home juicer:
Watermelon, apples,kiwis, grapes, pears, strawberries and oranges.

I have never tasted anything better! Cheers!

Apples, pears and grapes:

Here's a delicious way to enjoy the nutrients found in apples, pears and grapes. Juice them together to create an extraordinary taste sensation. Juice them in their skins to enhance nutritive value. It couldn't be more simple!

Apples give you vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, potassium, carbohydrates in the form of natural fructose, fiber and a small amount of protein (1g per fruit).

Pears give you vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6,  copper, magnesium, iron, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of fructose and a small amount of protein (1g per fruit).

Red grapes give you vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, a small amount of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, antioxidants called polyphenols including resveratrol and flavonoids. Salute!

Sensational Sides

Heavenly Hummus

Garbanzo beans (1 can/15oz/425g)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 cup tahini
1 lemon freshly squeezed
4 tbps olive oil
1/4 cup water
sea salt 1 pinch
black pepper
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
Parsley and basil leaves for garnish

Place garbanzo beans, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, salt and pepper into a blender (I used a vitamix) and blend until creamy. Separate half and place into a serving bowl, the other half place back into the blender with the sundried tomatoes and blend. Garnish with parsley and/or basil leaves.

This homemade hummus is an absolute winner and goes well with vegetables such as baby carrots and celery/cucumber sticks, crackers and pita bread.

Avocado Salsa

3 large tomatoes
1 large red pepper
2 small red chillies
1 red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 ripe avocado's
salt and black pepper

Place together in food processor or on variable 3 in vitamix for 20 seconds
or manually finely chop ingredients and toss together.
Delicious on veggie chips or pita bread

Light on lesser known ingredients

Hemp seed

No, it's not marijuana and you won't test positive on a drug test. Hemp is a completely different plant and highly nutritious.It has an earthy, nutty flavor and is very versatile and can be added to any of the recipes mentioned on this blog. It can be purchased at health food shops or online

Nutrition facts:
7.5g Omega-6LA
3.0g Omega-3ALA
0.6g Super Omega-6GLA
0.3g Super Omega-3 SDA
Protein 11g (per 30g serving)
Iron 16%, Vit E 21%, Zinc 23%, Magnesium 48%, Phosphorus 48%

Bragg Liquid Aminos

This is an all purpose seasoning made from soy protein derived from certified non-GMO soybeans and  is a natural more healthy soy source alternative. It is gluten free and contains no preservatives, no alcohol and it is not fermented.I cook with this all the time and add it espescially to my stir fry and baked vegetable and tofu dishes.Other suggested uses are for salad dressings, soups, casseroles, popcorn, gravies and sauces and broth. Can be purchased from health food shops or some grocery stores in the organic section. I'm not sure whether it is available outside of the USA.

Nutritional facts:
Contains 16 amino acids (essential and non-essential)
alanine,arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, valine
Also contains naturally occurring sodium, so if you use Braggs there is no need to add salt.

Egg Replacer

This is a great substitute for cooking a dish which requires eggs for binding which contains no eggs or animal protein. It is gluten free, wheat free, has no preservatives, no artificial flavorings, no sugar and no cholestrol. So also an excellent egg replacement for those suffering from high cholestrol.

It is made from potato starch and tapioca flour.

Nutrition facts:
Contains small amounts of 16 amino acids
Calcium 10% per serving and a small amount of sodium

How to constitute the mixture:
2 Tbps egg replacer to 3 Tbps water
Mix briskly until it looks like whipped egg whitesand add to the mixture.

TVP aka Texured Vegetable Protein

This is a highly nutritious soy product which contains complete protein and no fat.
It is an excellent source of fibre, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
TVP has no flavor of it's own, so it takes on the flavor of the food you add to it, so seasoning is important.
The first step in using this product is to rehydrate it:
7/8 cup boiling water or vegetable broth to 1 cup of TVP, pour the boiling water over the granules, stir and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition facts:
per 1/4 cup
calories 80
fat 0gsodium 2g potassium 594g
carbohydrate 7g
fibre 4g protein 12g
Calcium 8%, Iron 15%, Magnesium 18%, phosphorus 17%

This is espescially useful to use in recipes as a ground meat (minced meat) substitute. I make veggie balls, shepherd's pie, stirfry toppings, lasagne fillings and curry dishes with TVP to name a few.

Organic Spelt Flour

Spelt is an ancient grain farmed as far back as 5000 BC

I like using this wheat in baking and preparing dishes as it is organic (no pesticides) and has a great nutty favor.
 Try to avoid white bleached flour which is grown using pesticides, just that sentence alone explains why!
I find this at a variety of grocery stores and always at health food shops.

Nutrition facts:
per 1/4 cup
Calories 130
Fat 1g
Carbohydrate 25g
Fibre 4g
Protein 4g
Potassium 150g
Iron 6%, thiamin 4%, Riboflavin 2%, Niacin 6%

Veggie Balls

Falafel

This is by far my favorite veggie ball dish and very easy to make

Garbanzo beans (1 can/15oz/425g)
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Broccoli 1 cup finely chopped
Zucchini 1 large finely chopped
Carrot 1 medium finely chopped
Italian herbs (generous sprinkling)
Fist full of fresh herbs: spring onions, garlic parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary
Braggs amino acids or salt
Black pepper
olive oil
Egg replacer 2 Tbsp
Spelt flour ( 2 heaped Tbsp for falafel mix and 1 cup to roll balls into)

Mash previously cooked garbanzo beans or place in food processor
Stir fry the onions, garlic, broccoli, zucchini, carrot and herbs in olive oil, adding the herbs, 1 tsp Braggs aminos or pinch of salt, pepper. Then add the mashed garbanzo beans to the mixture, stirring and blending with the rest of the vegetables.
Place mixture into a bowl and add 2 heaped tbsp of spelt flour and egg replacer mixture.
Roll into balls and coat with a layer of spelt flour on the outside (by dipping the balls in a cup of flour)
Deep fry until golden brown and place on a paper towel to drain oil off.

In this photograph, I served the Falafel with a side of Gnocchi and a salad bed of dark green leaves such as Romaine or Red leaf lettuce, papaya and red pepper. Place the Falafel balls on a bed of leaves.

Garnish with a Strawberry and parsley.
Serves four

Enjoy the taste bud delight!

Nutty Butternut Balls

Just tried out my brand new recipe and it was a sensational success!

Butternut squash 1 cup finely chopped
TVP (textured vegetable protein) 1 1/2 cups dry (rehydrate with 2 cups boiling water)
onion 1 finely chopped
garlic 2 cloves finely chopped
yellow pepper 1 finely chopped
red hot chili pepper 1 finely chopped
Fist full of fresh organic herbs ( spring onions, oregano, basil, parsley, chives, rosemary)
olive oil
pumpkin seeds (dried) 3 tbsp
hemp seeds 3 tbsp
walnuts (finely chopped) 3 tbsp
Bragg amino acids (or soy sauce)
Black pepper
spelt flour
Egg replacer

Stir fry onion, garlic, butternut, yellow pepper, red chili pepper and herbs in olive oil adding Bragg aminos and black pepper. Once the mixture becomes a little dry, add 1/4 cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes or until water evaporates. Place in blender or food processor to coarsely mash it all together. Remove from blender and add back to frying pan with the TVP. Place on medium heat and add in pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts. Once mixture is fairly dry, remove from pan and place into a bowl. Add 3 heaped Tbsp spelt flour and 2 Tbsp egg replacer (mixed to a stiff egg white consistency by adding 3 tbsp water and whisking in a separate cup). Roll this mixture into golf size balls and dip them into spelt flour to coat them.
Deep fry quickly until golden brown, remove and place on paper towels to drain the oil.

Serve on a bed of couscous with a spinach, red pepper, cucumber and walnut side salad served with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Garnish with thin slices of organic avocado.

You've never tasted balls this good!
Have fun making them and enjoy this mega protein rich meal.

Pasta Perfection

Spinach Pasta Extravaganza

1/2 box Eden Organic Spinach ribbon pasta

Stir fry the following with olive oil and fresh homegrown organic herbs :basil. parsley, garlic chives, sprig onions, parsley and oregano. Add ground black pepper, sea salt, dried mixed Italian herbs.

1 red onion
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
4 vegan sausage links

Mix in the ribbon pasta and garnish with yellow pepper and parsley
Serve with a side salad of:
lettuce
tomato
baby carrots
walnuts

Absolutely delicious and packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phyto nutrients and healthy oils

Optional: goes well with a chilled white wine like a Pinot Grigio

Bon appetit!
serves two

Quinoa Pasta Cannellini Bean Delight

Vegan,quick, easy, organic and extremely delicious!

Cannellini beans (13.4oz/380g)
Quinoa Pasta (2 cups)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1tsp mashed ginger
Sea salt (pinch)
Ground black pepper
handful of organic homegrown herbs (spring onions, garlic chives, oregano, basil, celery - all finely chopped)

Stir fry onion, garlic, ginger and herbs, then add the beans. Toss with the pasta and garnish.

Garnish:
I used Pupukea homegrown avocados and sprouts.

Serve hot or cold. Enjoy!

Fusilli Black Bean Bonanza

A detectable blend of wholesome deliciousness

Black beans (1 cup of precooked beans)
Quinoa fusilli pasta (1 box)
1 red onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tsp mashed ginger
Sun dried tomatoes 3/4 cup (or Italian bruchetta)
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
dried Italian herbs (generous sprinkling)
A fist full of fresh organic herbs : basil, parsley, garlic chives, spring onions, oregano, rosemary
Calamata olive (for garnish)
Fresh cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and parsley (for garnish)

Stir fry the onions, garlic, ginger and sun dried tomatoes, adding the dried and fresh herbs, add black beans to the mix. Toss with el dente cooked pasta.

Serve hot or cold garnished with calamata olives, basil leaves and parsley.

Bon appetit!
(Serves three)

Outrageously Delicious Smoothies

Three Berry Protein Smoothie

Per Serving:

1 1/2 cups of frozen mixed berries ( blackberries, raspberries and blueberries)
1 scoop of Sunwarrior chocolate vegan protein powder
1/4 cup of water

Blend together in a blender. (I use a Vitamix)

Garnish with homegrown organic mint and a raspberry

Unbelieveably delicious and nutritious

Nutritional value:
 Protein 16g
Carbohydrate 22g
 Fibre 5g
Fat 1.4g
calcium, iron, vitamin A&C and antioxidants
Calories  189

Mixed Fruit and Flax Smoothie

Per serving

2 cups of mixed frozen fruit (mango, stawberry, papaya and pineapple)
1 banana (I use apple bananas)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/4 cup vanilla soymilk

Blend together in a blender (I use a vitamix)

Garnish with organic homegrown basil

A sensational tastebud sensation!

Nutritional value:
Protein 6gm
Carbohydrates67g
Fibre 12g
Fat 5g
Vitamin A,C,D,B3, B6, B12, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, folate and selenium
Calories 285

Best Exotic Dragon Fruit Smoothie

Three servings

1 dragon fruit (peeled)
3 persimmons (peeled)
2 lilikois (passionfruit scooped out of shell)
1 banana (I use apple bananas)
1 papaya
optional: white meat of 1 young coconut (drain coconut water and drink it seperately)

blend together in a blender (I use a vitamix)

Garnish with a pink homegrown succulent flower

Exotic fresh taste!

Nutritional value per serving
Protein 1g
Carbohydrates 28g
Fibre 2.5g
Fat 1g
Omega 3+6, Vitamin C,B1,B2,B3, calcium, phosphorus, iron, lycopene and phytoalbumins which are antioxidants
Dragon fruits absorb carbon dioxide at night and are therefore extremely good for the planet

Perfectly Peachy

This is so simple and simply delicious

Two servings

2 cups frozen peaches
1/2 medium papaya

Blend in a blender or vitamix and you have a flavorful boost of natural vitality

Nutritional value per serving
Calories 125
Carbohydrates 20g
Protein 3g
Fibre 2gm\Potassium, phosphorus,magnesium,zinc,calcium,sodium,iron, selenium, copper, B1, B2, B6, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, vit C, E and K

Pure Purple Power

This is dead easy and astoundingly yummy!

One serving

2 cups of frozen blueberries
1 scoop Sunwarrior vegan chocolate protein powder

Blend together, garnish with a succulent flower
Nutritional information:
Protein 16g
Carbohydrates 22g
Fibre 5g
Fat 1.4g
Calcium, iron, vitamin A&C, antioxidants
Calories 190

What is Vegan Awesomeness about?

This is a site dedicated to sharing delicious vegan recipes and insights. It can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their philosophies on diet or life and simply provides a resource for wonderful, flavorful, dynamic dishes that will add vibrancy to your cells, enhance your health and support sustainability of this beautiful planet we live on. My hope is that you will enjoy these meal ideas and share them with your friends.

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" ~ Hippocrates, founder of modern medicine.

After 27 years of working in the health profession I have gained the insight that many diseases are preventable by good lifestyle choices including a predominantly plant based, wholefood organic diet, adequate excercise, reduction in exposure to toxins such as environmental toxins which are a bit harder to avoid, toxic thoughts and relationships and those which we have a little more control over namely: smoking, drugs and excessive use of alcohol as well as eating processed fast foods. My wish is to assist others in establishing optimum health and a state of wellness so that they can lead abundant, energetic lives and help create a sustainable future for our planet in which compassion and kindness exists. Once the body is in a state of well being, the individual is empowered to seek holistic health which incorporates wellness of mind and body.

I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I have...